Lesson 37 The Beauty Parlour Level 2

The Beauty Parlour 

I can say for sure that one business that is flourishing, is the beauty business.
It seems as though I see a new beauty parlour everyday. Maybe its just my
imagination – but they definitely are mushrooming all over the place.

I see women frequenting the parlours,
walking in hurriedly, with their dishevelled hair and pale faces.
But the women coming out of the parlour always look much happier
and glamorous too! Their blow-dryed hair, their freshly applied make-up,
and even their glittering finger nails, make them seem like they’re going to
step up on to a stage or a film screen!

So earlier, it was women, then younger girls, and now, I see men too,
using the services of this growing beauty industry.

I have a few friends, both boys and girls, who work in beauty parlours, or salons,
as they call them in the western countries. They say it’s hard work. But once you
learn the skill well, and are polite, courteous and friendly with the customers,
then, very soon, you can make your own loyal set of clients, who will always ask for only you, when they come to the parlour. So over and above the basic monthly salary, you can make extra money with the tips given by happy customers.

I suppose the beauty business isn’t going to fade very quickly.
But whether I’m going to be a part of it or not, remains a question!

(A) Vocabulary: Please use the following words in your own sentences:

Flourish/flourishing - to grow well/growing well
Mushrooming - growing very rapidly or quickly
Frequent - to visit a place often
Dishevelled - untidy clothes or hair
Pale - having less colour than normal
Glamorous - (from the word glamour) superficial beauty
Glittering - (from the word glitter) - shining
Fade - to lose colour

(B) Write a few lines on any one other business you think is growing well
these days. For instance:
1. Fitness centres or gyms.
2. Playschools for little children (pre-schoolers)
3. Call centres.
4. Cyber cafes.
5. Or any other business you would like to write about.

(C) Here are some famous idioms in English. Please read, understand, enjoy, and start to use them.

1. ‘The best of both worlds’ – means you can enjoy two different opportunities at the same time.
“By working part-time and looking after her kids two days a week she managed to get the best of both worlds.”

2. ‘Speak of the devil’ – this means that the person you’re just talking about actually turns up at that moment.
“Hi Rubina, speak of the devil, I was just telling Sara about your new car.”
‘See eye to eye’ – this means agreeing with someone.
“They finally saw eye to eye on the business deal.”

4. ‘Once in a blue moon’ – an event that happens infrequently.
“I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon.”

5. ‘To cost an arm and a leg’– something is very expensive.
“Fuel these days costs and arm and a leg.”

6. ‘A piece of cake’– something is very easy.
“The English test was a piece of cake.”

7. ‘Let the cat out of the bag’ – to accidentally reveal a secret.
“I let the cat out of the bag about their wedding plans.”

8. ‘To feel under the weather’ – to not feel well.
“I’m really feeling under the weather today; I have a terrible cold.”

9. ‘To cut corners’ – to do something badly or cheaply.

10. ‘To add insult to injury’ – to make a situation worse.
“To add insult to injury the car drove off without stopping, after knocking me off my bike.”

11. ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’ – to not judge someone or something based solely on appearance.
“ The first time I saw her, she looked very arrogant. But we are good friends today. Turns out, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover.

12. ‘To hit the nail on the head’ – to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
“He hit the nail on the head when he said this company wants more operations staff."